


Dinner Plans

by badwolfchild



Series: Boredom [9]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Bi!Neal Caffrey, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Fluff, Gen, past mentions of homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 01:29:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13307547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfchild/pseuds/badwolfchild
Summary: Peter gets a few more nuggets from Neal's past and uses them to track down someone who was very special to Neal.





	Dinner Plans

**Author's Note:**

> Slight spoilers for Veiled Threat.

One week later, on a Friday evening and Peter’s working late at the office, which in turn means Neal has to stay late. The younger man sighs again and grabs a rubber band ball that’s on Peter's desk. He starts to throw it up and down, then stops and sighs again.

 

"Are you done yet?" He whines.

 

Peter glances up from the form he was filling out. "You know what I say, if it happens in the field, it happens in the file. I'm just being thorough."

 

Neal throws his head back and groans as Peter gets back to work.

 

After a couple minutes Neal breaks Peter's concentration again. "I'm bored. Can we switch seats so I can go on the computer at least?"

 

"No, Neal, just sit there and be patient." Peter gets back to work and ignores the kid.

 

"But you're not even using it!"

 

Peter stops looking up at this point. "No talking."

 

Neal starts to tap his feet for a little while. Soon after, Peter notices that the tapping is in a pattern. "And no Morse code." He adds, causing Neal to stop and groan. He gets up and reaches across to the other side of Peter's desk. "What are you doing?"

 

Neal doesn't reply. He just opens a drawer and pulls out some saltines. He goes back to his seat and sits down, munching on his snacks.

 

Peter just stares at him. "Unbelievable. You're using my desk as your own snack bar."

 

"I'm hungry," Neal defends himself. "And El said she was making lasagna."

 

"So it's not fun staying after because someone else is slacking."

 

Neal stares in disbelief. "So you stayed late here again to teach me a lesson?"

 

Peter is speechless and blinks. Neal grins and starts to laugh. The other agent just stands up and puts his coat on.

 

"Let's go, kid or you can find your own ride home."

 

Neal follows to the elevator, a bounce in his step. "I can't believe  _ you're  _ the agent that caught me. And I'm  _ so  _ telling El about this."

 

"And then I'll tell her how you did at the auction. She's been dying to know." Peter presses the down button.

 

Neal squints. "You wouldn't." He says slowly.

 

"Why don't you test it and find out?" Peter comments as they enter the elevator.

 

Neal sticks out his hand. "Truce?" He offers.

 

"Truce." Peter shakes his hand.

 

The door bings and Neal runs out into the garage. "Race you to the car!" He yells over his shoulder. He then freezes and turns to fully face Peter. "Wait, where did you park?"

 

Peter laughs and jogs in the opposite direction that Neal went in. He then spots the car and dashes to it, passing Peter along the way.

 

"I win!" Peter reaches the car second and is breathing heavily.

 

"How did you learn to run so fast?" He asks after he caught his breath and unlocks the car. Neal's smile vanishes as he gets in.

 

"School." He simply answers.

 

Peter starts the car and drives off. Sensing something is up with his CI, he pushes a little harder.

 

"Were you in track? I know you only went to Jr. High but they have track teams too."

 

"Nope. What about you?" Neal is deflecting and they both know it, but Peter lets it slide for now, making a mental note to bring it up at a later time.

 

"I did baseball through Jr. High and High School; varsity team. I also did a little bit of basketball too."

 

Neal whistles. "Nice, Peter, so you were one of the jocks? How did you pull that off while also being a mathlete?"

 

"I could ask you the same thing, human calculator." Peter jokes.

 

Neal looks out the window as he answers. "I didn't." Their eyes meet for a second as Peter takes his eyes off the road and really looks at Neal. Peter has to look back at the road while Neal continues. "It started in about third grade and just got worse until I learned to either run or talk my way out of things."

 

"But you couldn't have been the only kid good at math, I mean a lot of kids are."

 

"Peter, I was a scrawny boy that had no father, liked to draw, was a nerd, had a mother that let's just say 'wasn't all there', I didn't like sports, should I go on?"

 

Peter parks and turns to Neal. "I didn't-"

 

"Whatever. It was a long time ago." Neal escapes the car and heads inside. Peter sighs and follows after him.

 

~ line break ~

 

After dinner, Neal runs straight upstairs to his room. "What's wrong with Neal?" El asks as she and Peter do the dishes.

 

"He,  _ implied _ some things about when he was a kid, and well, truthfully; he made it sound like hell."

 

El sets down the dishrag. "What happened? What did he say?"

 

"Well, from what he told me, it sounded like he was bullied from third grade 'til he ran away at thirteen."

 

El gasps. "The poor baby."

 

"Should I go talk to him? El, you know I'm bad at this stuff, but-"

 

She cuts off her husband with a kiss. "Hon, that is exactly what you should do. Look at those fatherly instincts kick in."

 

"If only I did raise him." Peter mutters as he dries his hands and goes upstairs. The door was open a crack so Peter knocks lightly and pokes his head in. Neal is sprawled on his stomach with his drawing pad in front of him. He’s also watching the old TV that Peter brought up from the basement. "Are you watching-"

 

"Shhh! This is the new episode that I missed yesterday because of that case." Peter closes the door and waits patiently. When the ads startup Neal turns down the TV and sits up.

 

"You watch Glee?" Peter bites his lip to keep from laughing.

 

"Yes I do, and I don't care if you laugh, if you bite your lip anymore it's going to bleed."

 

Peter checks his lip for blood and Neal laughs. "So, what are you drawing?" Peter leans forward to look, but Neal flips the page before he could sneak a peek.

 

"Nothing!"

 

Peter's interest perks up. "Come on, is it of a crush?"

 

Neal's face turns red and he goes on his stomach again and turns the TV back up. "The shows back. You can watch if you want."

 

"Why not, scoot." Neal scoots over and Peter sits on the edge of the bed. "So, who's your favorite character?"

 

"Do you even know the characters?"

 

Peter pretends to be offended. "Of course I do."

 

Neal looks up at Peter and raises his brow.

 

"What? El watches this all the time."

 

Neal's eyes light up. "El watches Glee!?"

 

"Yep, now favorite character."

 

Neal turns back to watch and answers a little calmer. "Kurt."

 

"Really? I see you more as a fan of Rachel. You both love the spot light, although Kurt does too if you think about it."

 

"What about you then, Mr. Critical?"

 

"Will Schuster."

 

Neal shakes his head. "I see you more as Burt."

 

"And how does that brain of yours make  _ that  _ connection?" Peter ruffles Neal's hair.

 

Neal refuses to make eye contact with Peter. "Well, he's a big sports guy for one. And he does things way outside his comfort zone to help his son Kurt feel better."

 

Peter smiles and runs his hand through Neal's hair more. "Well, if you put it that way," Peter glances down and notices that Neal's sketch pad is within reach. He snatches it up and out of Neal's reach.

 

"Hey! Give it back!"

 

Peter jumps back off the bed and flips the page to the drawing. When Neal sees what Peter’s looking at, he feels his face heat up and he leans back against the headboard, folding his legs up. He crosses his arms on top of his knees and buries his face in his arms. After a moment, Neal hears Peter exhale and feels the bed shift as he sits down and shuffles back against the headboard with him.

 

Peter puts his arm around Neal and just sits there with him for a minute. Peter is the first to break the silence. "Does anyone else know, besides Mozzie of course."

 

Neal keeps his head buried. "Diana. We talked back when she was pretending to be a hooker."

 

"It explains why Kurt is your favorite."

 

Neal lifts his head and rests it on Peter's shoulder. "What can I say? He's a great dresser."

 

Peter laughs. "That he is, not many people could wear a hippopotamus brooch and pull it off." He pauses and continues in a more serious voice. "So you're, um,"

 

Neal chuckles at Peter's discomfort. "Bi? Yeah. You're not going to be all weird and uncomfortable around me now are you?" Neal asks, a little worried.

 

Peter snorts. "No, you're still the same pain as you've always been."

 

"Thank you for that." Neal says sarcastically, although inside he feels a rush of relief. He isn’t sure what he would have done if Peter wasn’t completely supportive of something that is out of Neal’s control.

 

"No problem."

 

A second later Neal speaks again. "And, Kurt's strong. He doesn't care what anyone thinks of him, even after everything he went through. He never quit."

 

Peter realizes something. "Is that one of the reasons you were bullied? Because you liked boys?"

 

He nods and leans even more into Peter, his fist clenched to Peter's shirt. "I was always picked on, but normally I was able to shake it off. When I was twelve and started Jr. High, I started to like one of my friends. His name was Ryan and he was one of the only kids that was nice to me." Neal pauses and takes a breath. "I had this notebook where I would doodle in class and inside I had the basic drawings that people with crushes normally make."

 

"Like hearts around the name and such?"

 

Neal nods. "One time, I went to the bathroom and when I got back some kid had stolen it and passed it around the room. By the end of the day just about everyone in the school knew, including Ryan."

 

"I'm guessing he wasn't, how should I say this, accepting?"

 

Neal snorts. "Peter, this was St. Louis in the 80s. People weren't exactly 'out and proud'." Neal even goes as far as using air quotes as he sits up.

 

"Neal, what did he do?" Peter growls, afraid to hear the answer.

 

Neal looks down and starts to pick at the comforter. "He beat me up, then when I was on the ground spit on me and told me to never talk to him again."

 

Peter sighs and pulls Neal into a bone-crushing hug. He rests his chin on his head. "Oh kiddo, I'm so sorry."

 

Neal sniffs. "My best friend told me he hated me. Everyone did. They told me I was disgusting and unnatural and,and," Neal's speech speeds up as he talks until Peter stops him.

 

"Hey, shh. Listen to me," Peter pulls Neal back and brushes his bangs back, revealing his red eyes. "You are  _ none  _ of those things, and if that's the only thing they judged you on then  _ they _ are the disgusting and unnatural ones."

 

Neal smiles. "You sound just like my old history teacher Ms. Turner."

 

"Yeah? What was she like?"

 

"She was amazing. At my school, I was the only out student so I was targeted by bullies a lot. If I ever needed to talk she was there to listen and I would eat lunch with her every day in her classroom. Before I dropped out she said that when I entered High School she was going to start working up there too." Neal smiles nostalgically.

 

"But then you left."

 

The smile drops off Neal’s face just as quickly as it had appeared and nods. "When I turned thirteen, I was told about my father. That, on top of school, I just... left." He shrugs.

 

"So you haven't seen her since then?" Neal shakes his head and wipes the last of his tears. "Do you wish you could?"

 

Neal's eyes light up. "Every single day. But I know I can't so no use feeling bad about it." Neal jumps off the bed. When he reaches the door Peter finally stops him.

 

"Where are you going?"

 

"To go see El. That way I can watch Glee with her and I know she'll keep you from talking through it." He leaves and Peter spots Neal's laptop on the nightstand. Grabbing it, he turns it on and logs onto the FBI database.

 

~ line break ~

 

A couple days later Peter has Neal over for dinner. El is in the kitchen while Peter and Neal set the table. Neal does a quick count and notices an extra place setting. "Is someone else coming over? Or are you unable to do basic math anymore? Because if it's the latter you owe me twenty bucks."

 

"Haha, no. There's just going to be someone else joining us."

 

Neal sets the last glass down. "Is that why you guys are having me over on a Tuesday? Not that I'm complaining. Do I know who's coming?"

 

"Let's just say you two will be very talkative." Peter says vaguely.

 

The doorbell rings and Peter goes to get it while Neal helps El in the kitchen. Neal stirs the spaghetti sauce, then when El's back is turned steals some cheese out of the bowl. He almost chokes when he hears a voice he thought he would never hear again, a thick New Jersey accent scolding him. "Neal, and thought you would know better by now." 

 

With wide eyes, he turns around slowly and sees his old history teacher. She’s slightly older now, about in her mid-forties, and her short brown curly hair is now a little bit longer than shoulder length. He has one of the widest grins that Peter had ever seen and hugs his old teacher. “Ms. Turner?”

 

Pulling back, but still holding onto his forearms, she gets a better look at her former student. "Oh my gawd, Look at you, all grown up. You're taller than me now! And please, call me Theresa now."

 

Neal laughs, blushing. "I can't believe you're here, how-" He’s speechless as he looks between Theresa and Peter.

 

"Well, I may have did a search on the FBI database Friday night and through the weekend."

 

Neal smirks. "Peter, did you misuse FBI resources for personal matters? Because I happen to know that that's frowned upon."

 

Peter glares, but the smile on his face ruins the effect. "Shush you."

 

Ignoring Peter, Neal turns back to Theresa. "Did you fly all the way from St. Louis?" Neal leads her to the couch where they sit as Peter and El work in the kitchen, giving them some space to catch up.

 

"No, I live down in Jersey again. Right across from the Hudson actually. Now, a better question would be what happen to you? You just vanished one day out of thin air."

 

Peter, who’s setting some bread on the table, buts in. "Yeah, he tends to do that."

 

"Thank you for the commentary, Peter." Neal says sarcastically. "You can go now."

 

Peter puts his hands up in a surrendering motion and goes back to the kitchen.

 

Theresa chuckles at the two, then gets a little more serious as she turns to face him. "What happen to you?" She asks again.

 

Neal sighs and thinks for a second. "Truthfully, a lot. Long story short, it ended with me taking a road less recommended and getting one of these." He lifts his left pant leg and shows her the tracker. "Peter is the agent that caught me."

 

"Oh, sweetheart," She gives him a hug, which shocks him.

 

"You don't hate me? You don't even know what I did." He says when she pulls back.

 

"Did you ever hurt anyone?" He shakes his head. "Then listen to me. I could never hate you. You may have made mistakes, but everyone in life has at one time or another. They're what help you grow."

 

Neal smiles. "Thank you."

 

Peter pokes his head out from the kitchen. "And let it be on record that I caught you three times."

 

"Hey, the last one didn't count. That was so you could catch Hagen and I could stay on as your CI."

 

"Just face it, you're not really good at the whole running thing." El comes out of the kitchen carrying the pasta.

 

"Can you two ever just call a truce and bury the hatchet?"

 

They look at each other then El. "No." They say at the same time. El rolls her eyes and looks at Theresa.

 

"How do you stand being a teacher with a hundred kids a day? I can barely stand these two."

Neal and his former teacher stand from the couch and make their way to the table where Peter and El had just sat down. "I ask myself that every day." Then on a lighter note she asks. "Now what  _ did _ you do?"

 

"Well-" Neal starts, but Peter cuts him off.

 

"What  _ didn't _ he do would be a better question."

 

"But I was only ever convicted for bond forgery." Neal slides in.

 

"Allegedly, however, your file ranges from art theft to embezzling to, of course, forgeries." Peter points with his fork at Neal and smiles. "Neal was one of  _ the  _ best con men of the 21st century." At that Neal takes a sip of his wine to busy himself and look away. "Now, he's one of the best partners I've ever had." He looks back shocked and sets the glass down. Peter, realizing how mushy that sounded, then kills the mood. "Until he has to fill out paperwork."

 

Neal rolls his eyes and everyone laughs. "That sounds like him back when he was in school. Neal is still probably one of the smartest kids I've ever taught, but I could never get him to actually do the bookwork."

 

They laugh again and the dinner continues on without a hitch as they chat. About an hour later, everyone gathers in the living room to talk over coffee. (Italian roast, a gift from June)

 

Peter and El are on the couch, Theresa on the recliner across from them, and Neal on the floor with Satchmo.

 

"What's his name?" She asks enthusiastically, looking at Satch.

 

Neal sets his mug on the coffee table and starts to pet him. "Satchmo. He's one of the best dogs ever." At that Satch licks him.

 

"Awww, I just got a puppy myself. He's only about 10 weeks old and just full of energy."

 

Peter smiles. "Don't let Neal near him. Satch is normally pretty calm until Neal shows up." To prove his point Satchmo barks playfully and paws at Neal. Neal, luckily, is wearing casual clothes and not one of his suits. "Neal, stop it, or he's going to be up all night."

 

Neal stops and Satchmo whines a little at the loss of his playmate. "Sorry, boy." Satch puts his head in Neal's lap so he starts to pet him more calmly this time.

 

Theresa breaks the silence first. "So Neal, did you ever finish school?"

 

"I've been valedictorian before." He answers vaguely.

 

"No, Ben Cooper was valedictorian, and we were the ones that made Cooper." Peter corrects him.

 

"Well, I am Ben Cooper and it was in the year book with my picture."

 

"What’s the name of the school?" Peter shoots back.

 

"Umm." Neal goes quiet as he tries to remember the name of the school.

 

Peter smiles in victory. "That's what I thought." He gets up and ruffles his hair affectionately as he passes and collects all the empty mugs to take to the kitchen.

 

"That proves nothing, I'm just having a lapse in memory!" Neal calls back belatedly.

 

"And I believe all of Mozzie's conspiracy theories." He says coming back into the room.

 

"Who's Mozzie?" Theresa asks.

 

"He's a good friend of mine. I met him about a year after I ran away, he taught me how to survive out on the streets."

 

"Or in other words, his literal partner in crime."

 

Neal shrugs with a smile. "Well, I want to meet this Mozzie one day, but right now I need to get going, classes to teach tomorrow." She stands up and everyone walks her to the door. Neal helps her put on her coat. "Thank you, sweetie. It was so great seeing you again." She gives him a hug that he returns whole-heartedly. She releases him, then turns to Peter and El. "And I'm glad to have met you both. Thank you for the lovely meal, it was delicious."

 

"It was no problem, we should do this again sometime." El speaks for her and Peter.

 

"Yes, we should. And Neal, if you can't remember the name of that school, you should think about getting a GED in your name."

 

He hesitates for a split second, but Peter’s the only one to notice. "I'll think about it." Neal settles on.

 

"You better. Now don't be a stranger, call more often. If I have time I may be able to enter your radius so we can do this again." She winks at him and they say their farewells.

 

Neal closes the door and turns to go upstairs. "Is it okay if I stay the night?"

 

"Of course." El smiles and goes to finish cleaning up in the kitchen.

 

"I'll help." He leaps off the step and goes to follow, but stops at Peter's voice.

 

"Neal," He says warningly and when Neal turns back to him he’s crooking his finger.

 

"You know what, on second thought, I should just get going-"

 

"Sit." Peter cuts him off.

 

"Yes sir." Peter leads Neal to the couch where they both sit.

 

"Now, are you really thinking about getting your GED?"

 

"Truthfully, I'm not sure. It's not like I'm in a rush to get it. I still have two years left on the anklet."

 

"I know, but-"

 

El pokes her head out from the kitchen with almost a sixth sense for when Neal is uncomfortable. "Hon, let him be. I need to borrow him." She then speaks to Neal. "Can you help me?"

 

He leaps up. "Yes!" He makes it to the kitchen in record time. "Thank you."

 

"I figured you needed saving. Now, since you're here, mind telling me how you did at the bachelor auction? Because I want to know how Peter was picked over you."

 

He sighs. "I knew this was too easy. First, let me start by saying that this was all part of my plan."

 

Peter comes up behind him. "I thought the plan was for the black widow to bid on you."

 

"Haha." He says sarcastically and flicks a little bit of the soapy water at him. Peter is not amused. Neal slowly starts to back up. "Now, Peter, don't do something you might regret." He dodges as Peter splashes him and El, who’s chuckling, manages to get the brunt of it.

 

"Oh, it's on now, boys."

 

"Honey, let's not go too far now." She keeps advancing on them so he grabs Neal, using him as a human shield. "Take him, he started it!"

 

"Peter!" He tries to sound angry, but his laughing betrays him.

 

"Both of you, out. Before things really get ugly." El growls. She is protective of her kitchen!

 

"Yes, ma'am." They both scurry out to the living room and she finally breaks into a smile.

 

"I win." She simply says and gets back to work on the dishes in peace.


End file.
